Aiden Markram will lead South Africa in the T20 World Cup in June 2024.
The 2024 edition of his T20 World Cup is scheduled to be co-hosted by West Indies and the United States in June. On Tuesday 30th April, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced its 15-man squad for the high-profile event, with several reserve players also named.
Unsurprisingly, Aiden Markram will lead the team in the showcase tournament. In-form wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Claassen and Tristan Stubbs also made the squad.
The former is expected to play as an opener along with Reeza Hendricks, while David Miller will have a key role as a finisher in a star-studded line-up. Ryan Rickelton has been nominated for selectors ahead of fellow wicketkeeper-batsman Donovon Ferreira. The former has played four Tests and two ODIs but is yet to receive his maiden T20I cap.
Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuyn are the three specialist spinners in the team. Meanwhile, the pace department will be led by a troika of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Gerard Coetzee. While Rabada has performed reasonably well in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Coetzee has been in sensational form at the age of 24, picking up 12 wickets in eight matches. However, Nortje’s form has been a major issue as he is an injury-prone player, with the speedster averaging 13.36 runs and recently losing his place in the Delhi Capitals squad to compatriot Lizard Williams.
The uncapped Ottniel Baartman, who became the second highest wicket-taker in SA20 2024, is also included in the squad. Marco Jansen, the leading wicket-taker in SA20 2024, will play the role of a seam bowling all-rounder in the Proteas line-up. Experienced Lungi Ngidi and promising Nandre Berger were named as substitutes for the trip.
South Africa have been placed in Group D of the 2024 T20 World Cup along with teams such as Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Bangladesh and Nepal. Markram & Co. will begin their campaign on June 3 against former champions Sri Lanka in New York.
South Africa 2024 T20 World Cup squad list:
Aiden Markham (C), Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Leesa Hendricks, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, Bjorn Fortuyn, Kagiso Rabada, Gerard Coetzee, Henrich Nortje, Ottoniel Baartmann, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Marco Jansen